Some people are too particular about their past events and carry-over imprints of the same in their present day. He was old enough to put too many words for his thoughts. So while I sat with him over a cup of tea, I tried his expressions and some slow broken phrases be translated as in here:

बस पिछली गली से गुज़रा तो ये याद है आया,

कि पहले भी तो कुछ ऐसे ही शुरू किय था |

जब सर्दी के कारण कंबल से निकल ना पाया,

हाथ रेवड़ी, गजक मूंगफुली भरे हुए थे |

और क़िस्सों से बातों की लंबी झड़ी लगाए,

ताश के पतों की बाज़ी भी सिमट रही थी |

Winter always greets with a smile and keeps our eyes glued to a foggy colourful painting. This man was dressed extravagantly in his Raymand blue solid blazer and Tag Heuer designer glasses. I was trying to figure out that how and for what reason, this man found an insignificant tea-stall at the roadside of Galleria market worthy enough to spend few hours. While he offered me a seat at his table and tried to make some conversation, a constant outstare was maintained by him at me.

बस पिछली गली से गुज़रा तो ये याद है आया,

यूँ ही एक वादा तब भी खुद से किया गया था |

जो पूरे हफ्ते, फिर कुछ दिन और फिर, लम्हो में खोकेर,

एक मीठी धीमी खुश्बू देकर लौट गया था |

चलते चलते सर्दी ने जब ली अंगड़ाई,

मेने भी किए कंधे उँचे छोड़ रज़ाई |

Since it was the first day of New Year, he was keen to talk about events from the ones that are a story now. The one’s which are too generic, the universal memories which happens with almost all regular people. In one way or the other we all kindle a candle in a similar manner during the dusk and set the same off before the drowsing sleep. Although we might get grouchy about waking up to the same morning but honestly we have always relished the night-time.

बस पिछली गली से गुज़रा तो ये याद है आया,

तब भी तो कुल्फी फालुदे का था एक मौसम |

जब मेने चलती बस से उतर देखा था मेला,

घूमा खेला, किया माप तोल, पर लिया ना ढेला |

गरम हवा के साथ भी एक एहसास जुड़ा था,

अक्सर जिसकी तपस में अब भी खूब हूँ हस्ता |

The sun falling on our table shall be termed as an unalloyed afternoon and its pleasant warmth gave his thoughts an oomph of expression. While he told me how his summers were equally good as winters, still he always ran towards the later one. Until the day he realised that these weathers are an easy replication of one another, they tend to have differentiated skins yet they have the same essence of blood flowing with in them supplying memories to the organs of life cycle.

बस पिछली गली से गुज़रा तो ये याद है आया,

तब उसकी भीगी छतरी से एक जुड़ा था रिश्ता |

सड़क पर पिंडलिया डूब रही थी लेकिन फिर भी,

मेरे ख़्वाबों की नाव हवा में झूम रही थी |

जेसे दिल ही दिल में रूठ के मुझसे कोई कहता,

कहीं हम भी बिन हुए रूबरू तुमसे, ठहर ना जाएँ |

The old man was continuing with some beautiful moments from his life being expressed with each sip of tea he took. And once the cup was empty he began to lift his feet very patiently, slowly and start taking his shimmering foot wears off. I did not ask for the reason for he was doing this rather just maintained being an audience for him. He stood with a support of a half-filled water drum kept along with the table we were sitting on and walked bare foot towards his Car parked across that wet and muddy lane.

बस पिछली गली से गुज़रा तो ये याद है आया,

कुछ बात अधूरी, याद अनकही और इतराए वादे |

इनसे ही तो तब भी मेरा साल था गुज़रा,

कितने स्वादिष्ट पकवान से लगते, हैं ये सारे |

पूरे होकर क्या ये भी होंगे इतने ही मीठे ? ?

या फिर अश्वो की रफ़्तार से ताल मिला के,

ये भी मुझको दुनिया के इर्द गिर्द ले जाएँगे |

कोने कोने के कस्बों में समय बिता के,

रस देंगे फिर से एसे जो गुदगुदा सकेंगे |

Yes, very likely even I was amazed at this eccentric old man and looking at my expression the young boy who was serving me tea answered “arey bhaiya, ye chacha pichley 6-7 saal se naye saal ki pehli taarikh ko ese hi chae peekey naye chamaktey mehangey valey jootey chhod jaatey hain yahan…” This man comes here only once a year and for no particular known reasons leaves his shoes behind. As the boy took those shoes and walked at the back of his stall he shouted “happy new year chacha”

बस पिछली गली से गुज़रा तो ये याद है आया,

कि एसा ही एक साल मेरे हर साल मे गुज़रा..

.

और यूँ ही गुज़रे वक़्त सा फिर यह लम्हा आकर….

बस पिछली गली से गुज़रा तो ये याद है आया||

Before he sat in the backseat of his black tinted Jaguar, he turned towards us very slowly, waved his hands and then moved in for the next drive. While he waved, I think I saw his lips moving slowly. Although the boy had never cared for a reply and was engaged back in his kettle & cups immediately after he had shouted.

May be the old man wished him back for a decent New Year again, like the one before….!